Long haul telecommunication networks, data center optical interconnects, and microwave photonic systems rely on transmitting information using optical carriers [1]}, [2]}. The ideal transmitter for these applications should operate over a large bandwidth with a small driving amplitude, emit high optical power, have negligible insertion loss, and be cost-effective. Recently, thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) has emerged as a platform capable of achieving nearly all of these requirements [3]}, using external lasers. The latter poses a major challenge to the achievable performance, complexity, and cost since it requires coupling between two discrete components. The ideal solution would integrate high-power and low-noise lasers on the TFLN photonic platform. Distributed feedback lasers (DFB) are excellent candidates for integration with TFLN because of their low cost, small footprint, and large output powers exceeding 100 mW.
Such a solution would enable new architectures such as large arrays of high power transmitters as well as unprecedented performance in optical links
[4]}. Here, we address this challenge by integrating distributed feedback (DFB) lasers, capable of producing of 170 mW - 200 mW of optical power, with TFLN integrated modulators featuring an electro-optic (EO) bandwidth in excess of 50 GHz [5]}. Using only passive-alignment and flip-chip thermo-compressive bonding, we integrate DFB lasers with pre-fabricated TFLN chips. With optimized overlap between the respective platform modes, we couple \(\sim \)  60 mW of optical power into the TFLN waveguides.
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